In recent years, an increased number of electronic devices employ a system to display various menus on a display device for allowing the user to execute desired operation while moving a cursor thereon. A method of input operation, which is performed by rotating a disk-shaped or a roller-shaped rotary member, is increasingly employed.
Since a rotationally-operated electronic component provided with the roller-shaped rotary member is superior in operability with a thumb, it is often mounted, for example, to mobile equipment as an input control element.
Referring now to FIG. 10 to FIG. 12, a rotationally-operated electronic component employing the roller-shaped rotary member in the related art will be described.
FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing an appearance of the rotationally-operated electronic component employing the roller-shaped rotary member in the related art, FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the same, and FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the same.
In these drawings, operating dial 1 having an outline of cylindrical roller is provided with contact brush 3 in a recess formed on its right circular portion so as to rotate together with operating dial 1. Rotary contact point 2 such as an encoder includes contact point substrate 5 having fixed contact point 4, with which an extremity of brush member 3A of contact brush 3 comes into resilient contact, and contact brush 3. Detent generating mechanism 9 is provided on the left circular portion for providing the user a detent feeling synchronously with a predetermined output signal from rotary contact point 2.
Detent generating mechanism 9 includes detent spring 6 formed of a metallic thin plate mounted to the recess formed on the left circular portion of operating dial 1 so as to be capable of synchronous rotation and fixed cricking member 7 formed of resin and provided on the end surface of the left circular portion thereof in a fixed state.
Detent spring 6 is formed of a plate-shaped spring member doubled by folding back, and is formed with dowel 6A at a plate portion located on the end surface side of the left circular portion.
When dowel 6A comes into resilient contact with concavo-convex portion 7A of fixed clicking member 7, a detent feeling is obtained synchronously with the rotation of operating dial 1.
The detent feeling and an electric signal obtained from rotary contact point 2 are adapted to be synchronized.
Operating dial 1 is rotatably held by contact point substrate 5 of rotary contact point 2 and fixed clicking member 7 of detent generating mechanism 9 from both sides thereof.
With the rotationally-operated electronic component employing the roller-shaped rotary member in the related art as described above, the predetermined signal can be obtained from rotary contact point 2 by rotating operating dial 1 and, upon operation, and a predetermined detent feeling is obtained from detent generating mechanism 9.
Since the structure shown in these drawings are the one in which pressing operation is also enabled in addition to the rotary operation of operating dial 1, switch 8 which comes into and out of contact with the pressing operation is shown. However, description of the components or the operation relating to the pressing operation is omitted.
The rotationally-operated electronic component using the roller-shaped rotary member in the related art is disclosed, for example, in JP-2001-148219.